Hayfield 15 August 2010

Eight volunteers turned out to Hayfield and spent the day working above South Head Farm continuing the task we started the last time we were here. Once we got to the work site we paused to admire the view, and look down on the land rover.

A number of non native pines have recently been felled as they were not thriving and had a tendency to come down over the winters. The trunks had been cut in to lengths that could be packed into bags for Helicopter lifting onto the Kinder Plateau where they will be used for gully blocking - to reduce erosion. The long term aim being to keep as much peat as possible on the top and out of the reservoirs.
Over the day we "filled" (about two thirds full) about twenty four bags, and also spent some time building rings of brash around the remaining (broadleaved) trees. This ring building clears up the brash (side branches) and also forms a tree guard to keep the sheep away from the trunks of the trees - so that the sheep can't eat the bark.